Hyderabad, Oct 31 (PTI) Police on Saturday busted an alleged illegal human oocyte (egg) extraction and commercial sale racket in the city, arresting eight persons and rescuing 43 women.
The Begumpet and Saroornagar police, along with the Malkajgiri Commissionerate’s Special Operations Team (SOT), searched four locations spread across the two commissionerates, according to the press release.
The accused allegedly recruited women from West Bengal, Uttar Pradesh and other states, transported them to Hyderabad and sheltered them for egg donation procedures at IVF and fertility centres.
The 43 women rescued from various places in the city hailed from West Bengal, Uttar Pradesh, Maharashtra and other states.
Separate cases were registered at the Begumpet and Saroornagar police stations under relevant sections of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) and the Assisted Reproductive Technology (Regulation) Act, 2021, the release said.
The women told police they were brought to Hyderabad after being offered Rs 20,000 to Rs 30,000 per egg donation cycle. Some said they were given hormonal injections and medicines in connection with the proposed procedures.
A preliminary investigation revealed that the network functioned through organisers, recruiters, agents and intermediaries, who identified women in different states by offering monetary incentives for oocyte donation.
The recruited women were lodged in rented premises and referred to fertility service providers for ovarian stimulation and oocyte retrieval.
The organisers and intermediaries allegedly coordinated recruitment, transport, accommodation and referrals, with suspected financial arrangements linked to these activities.
Police seized documents, mobile phones and other material for examination and are verifying the identities, recruitment circumstances and medical histories of the rescued women.
Police arrested Amit Sharma (44), a native of Indore in Madhya Pradesh residing in Hyderabad, and Nikkat Parveen (31), a Kolkata native, the release said.
Sharma is suspected to be the main organiser in both cases, and Parveen the alleged co-organiser and recruiter. The others arrested include an IVF agent and coordinators.
The investigation is focused on identifying recruitment agents, tracing how the women were brought to Hyderabad, verifying suspected forged Aadhaar cards and other documents, and examining medical records and safety protocols.
Police are tracing financial transactions and links among organisers and intermediaries, and examining the involvement and statutory compliance of fertility centres and ART banks under the Assisted Reproductive Technology (Regulation) Act.
They will probe for any coercion, deception, exploitation or human trafficking.
The Malkajgiri police appealed to the public to stay vigilant against suspicious recruitment, transportation or accommodation of women in the name of medical procedures, employment or fertility-related services.
People approaching fertility centres were urged to understand the legal provisions and exercise due care.
The operation was conducted under the direct supervision of Malkajgiri Police Commissioner B Sumathi. PTI SJR SSK
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